Is Hybrid a Smart Move?
Kawasaki recently patented a design for a hybrid motorcycle, according to Motorcycle.com. This suggests that it’s now only fully electric motorcycles that will be a big part of the motorcycling future. Hybrid motorcycles are something that has been discussed a bit but not something that has really materialized.
Most manufacturers are skipping over hybrids and going fully electric for future models. Some companies like Honda and Yamaha have looked at making hybrid scooters. BMW is working on a hybrid motorcycle, according to RideApart. Now Kawasaki seems to be, too.
The hybrid motorcycle appears to have both an internal combustion engine and a battery and electric motor housed within the frame. It appears that both the gasoline engine and the electric motor would operate in tandem. However, it’s a little unclear exactly as to how this will work.
It could be that both the engine and electric motor work together to produce power, or it could be that the engine functions more as a generator for the electric motor. The latter is the one that sounds more probable here, but there’s always the chance that it’ll do both. It will be interesting to see what Kawasaki does with this design and if hybrid motorcycles become more of a thing in the future.